Gone Fishing
by Chocobo Watcher
Summary: It's Angeals birthday, and Zack has organized a surprise vacation. But maybe Angeal has one of his own...


I haven't written anything for what seems like a century. Life issues and all that. Anyhow=

I promised Amarissia a Zangeal if she wrote a new chapter and/or updated, and this bit of fluffitude is the result. Usual disclaimer: Don't own, Don't profit, Don't sue. Onward!

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"No, Kunsel, that won't do at all." Zack frowned. "Well what else can I do?" the second class ensign shrugged. "We've looked at trinkets, foodstuffs, combat equipment, alarm clocks, antiques and modern art. What about porn?." Zack shot Kunsel an incredulous look. "Ever since he found one of my back issues of Military Heat underneath the mattress, I've stopped reading it."

"No, No- I meant for **Angeal**."

Zack just shook his head again. He wasn't about to admit that Angeal was already getting some of his bedroom ideas from there. "Ok, why not make him something? Nothing says love like a handmade gift." "He gets those already when I make him dinner or sneak him cookies. A cadet gave him a birdhouse once that went over like a lead balloon. It'd have to be something pretty amazing as far as he goes, anyway."

"Man, you've really got it bad for him, haven't you?" "No shit, sherlock." Zack replied. "Well, it's not like you don't have any time." Kunsel said. "His birthday **is** still four months off." "Four months..." Zacks voice trailed off. Then he jumped up suddenly. "That's it! Kunsel-chan, you're a genius!" Zack cried, snatching him up in a friendly hug. He bounced off happily in the direction of the directors office. Kunsel shrugged and went back to work, hoping that whatever Zack had planned wouldn't get him deep-sixed. Puppy indeed. The name was apt.

The next three and a half months were almost insane for Zack. Late nights of typing reports Sephiroth detested and couldn't be bothered with. Polishing brass buttons on the tacky dress suits belonging to Lazard. Attendance at presidential high teas where he was forced to sit next to Hojo. And the subsequent discovery of just why Sephiroth detested public appearances so much. Afternoons of training slacker cadets whose parents forced them into the academy and who didn't want to be there. But it was worth it for Angeal.

Angeal was furious. He had planned to spend his birthday quietly, and alone if possible. Catching up on reading. Or doing more research online about that one antique sword that he just had to have for his collection. And yet here he was, blindfolded, in a helicopter on the way to another drop site. At night, no less. And to top it off, rain was pouring down like mad. There's nothing worse than having to spend the hours prior to midnight on your birthday in the rain. Angeal knew not to complain. He knew all about military protocol. Secondly, Reno was the pilot.

When he attempted to resist being blindfolded he was told by Reno "Company policy, yo. I don't like it either but the company wants to test the instincts and capabilities of special operatives. Sorry it's your birthday." Angeal slumped into position, and resigned himself to fate. It was sheer luck that he and Zack weren't discovered together in bed. That would have to wait as well. Reno thought he distinctly heard the grinding of teeth from way behind his back every now and then.

Angeal didn't like sensory deprivation. It forced him to use his inner resources to try and pinpoint location. In this case Reno had done the blindfold job well. So well that aside from figuring a general direction once they left the helicopter pad at the airport he was completely uncertain just where he was. The helicopter had been experiencing turbulence for some time when Rude removed the blindfold. Angeal was glad. It was making him nauseated. When Rude briskly helped him into a parachute he objected.

"What the **hell** is this?" he demanded as Rude maneuvered him backwards towards toward the open hatch. " Looks like you're going out backwards. Don't understand it, but it's in the orders," Rude said as he gave a mighty shove and Angeal fell away from the aircraft. Rude fired a flare into the sky five seconds later, then reached to close the metal door.

"Yo! Did you remember to strap the backpack on? "Reno shouted. "Shit!" Rude grumbled as he tossed the pack out after the fallen angel. He hauled the door shut as the Reno changed direction. "Yeah, I got it!" he lied as he made his way back to the front.

Angeal felt himself plummeting downwards rapidly. The whole situation was absurd. He had wings, he didn't need a chute. He couldn't see through the sleet and the thunder that crashed all around him. Then he remembered the compass on the harness,where he was, and pulled the chord. The jerk that followed some seconds afterward winded cadets who weren't used to it. Not Angeal. He barely noticed it as he tried to get his bearings.

A flash of lighting illuminated the skyline, and Angeal found himself sailing towards snow somewhere on a mountain ridge. Modeoheim? No... this was not right. At that moment something struck him on the front of his shoulder. Instinctively his arm shot forward, and he managed to catch it. A backpack that looked full and weighed a ton. As he fought to secure it somehow, the planet was rapidly coming closer. He growled in annoyance. There were some days when Shinra bullshit just went too far...

"Where the fuck **are** you, Reno?, " Zack thought as he scanned the sky with night vision lenses. Dressed in regulation snow gear and helmet, he anxiously awaited the arrival of his lover. And the inevitable situation that would result. Which was exactly what Zack wanted. Finding the deserted cabin was one thing. Getting it outfitted and repaired another. He tried not to think of the many favors he still owed. Things were going to be perfect, even if all the work involved had nearly killed him.

His mind drifted back to a night some months before. As they lay together, the two had a conversation about when Angeal was a boy. His father had taken him fishing in the mountains during snow season. They had hiked into the remote back woods, to a primitive cabin just below the timberline. Angeal had been surprised by how comfortable he and his father had managed to make it within several years time. He missed it in the same way he missed his father, and part of him longed to go back for a stay. He couldn't because of Shinra and duty, of course.

Eventually Angeal explained to Zack that his father said that the village had been coming to fish there for years, when the snow trout arrived to spawn. Their mission was to catch and dry fish that would be used the following winter. "I loved it, " Angeal had stated "because it was so peaceful. The snow was dazzling way up high, but the rivers and streams were still liquid. And ice cold! But we caught the best trout from them."

It had been hard work for the two of them, but worth it. Every evening they replaced the empty fish traps in the river. They spent the mornings fishing for their own dinner upstream. They always caught far more than they could eat. The rest of the day, and early part of an evening would be spent placing the cleaned fish within the tall wooden smoker made from a large hollowed out log. Green wood chips would be placed on a small fire within to create a lingering thick smoke which dried and flavored the fish. The best on all continents, as far as Angeal was concerned.

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Zack took a couple of earthenware bowls from the cupboards. He filled them gently and then placed the steamed bread gently on top, almost like a pancake. The stew exuded an aroma of meat, vegetables and enticing spices. One thing Angeal knew for certain- whatever happened, he would not go to his eventual death poorly fed. For the next five minutes there were no sounds aside from those involved in mastication.

"Well, how is it? Zack asked.

"Abominable!" Angeal replied, smiling, as he downed a large spoonful. Zack shot him a pouting look in non-appreciation of the pun. Angeal smiled back. "It's delicious, pup. And just what I needed."

The first thing that Angeal pulled from the mysterious backpack was a manila envelope. It carried the familiar Shinra markings. Angeal opened it and carefully removed the contents. Instead of orders, he was surprised to see a photograph of Lazard, Genesis and Sephiroth that had been tastefully applied to fine card stock. What was eerie about it was that Sephiroth was **almost **smiling. He raised an eyebrow. This was way outside of protocol.

The greeting inside the card was very cheesy. "You are hereby ordered to have a Happy Birthday."

Followed by a written statement in Sephiroth's best handwriting. "Consider this the puppy's fault. Relax, everything is taken care of. See you soon. Best wishes." Angeal looked across the room at Zack.

"Pup, what did you _do_?" he said, warily.

"That's what I've been trying to tell you for the last fifteen minutes. There isn't any mission. There's just the two of us, this cabin, and no humans anywhere close by. To be honest, I'm not quite sure exactly where it is, but finding our way to the rendezvous point shouldn't be difficult. Reno threw a global positioning system device into my pack, and all we have to do is turn it on later."

For the first time in a long while, Angeal was speechless. How had Zack pulled this one off? He'd been busy as hell the last four months when he wasn't training or in class. Enough so the two of them had to consult each other in order to have some occasional privacy. He had recognized the cabin from his boyhood at once, but it was in a lot better shape than the last time he had seen it. How the hell had Zack found it? Genesis and Sephiroth, more than likely. They were the only ones who knew about it aside from Zack.

He was just about to remark on these facts to Zack when his eye caught a glint of silvered paper. Sephiroth must have wrapped the long tube he pulled from the pack. The puppy looked almost impish with glee. Handling it delicately as if it were a bomb, Angeal slowly began to unwrap it. The tube itself was nondescript, and the end came off easily.

The tube contained an Aquamaster 2000 compact fly rod and reel. Angeal had dreamed of one from the time he was small. He had pondered buying himself one for some time. Being in Soldier meant that fishing pastime,like so many others, had to wait. "Pup, this is..." his voice trailed off as he paused to think.

"So you like it?" Zack asked.

"Yes, of course!" Angeal said as he moved over to where Zack sat and slid next to him. He ruffled Zacks hair and kissed him on the forehead. "Thank you very much, Pup. Were the Seph and Gen in on this too or is this present yours?"

"Mine," his eager student replied "But it's not the only one." Angeal was fairly certain he knew what that something was. But he also had some ideas of his own. Provided that there was also a birthday cake hidden somewhere. The pack wasn't empty yet. Angeal pulled out a worn metal box that he knew very well.

" Zack, you can't have done this by yourself. You do know what this **is**, don't you?"

"Sure, it's your tackle box. It took a while to organize it, though. I wrote your mother that you were homesick, but to keep it a secret. Tseng retrieved your tackle box and gear while he was on another mission. And Sephiroth and Lazard convinced Hojo to sign off on your need for R and R. Somehow it all ended up with the two of us being sent way out here. But it's okay. I managed to find one of the food drops already, so we don't have to go anywhere tonight. Which is fine with me, because my ass nearly froze out there finding you!".

"And heaven help us if _that _should! ." Angeal snorted in a mocking voice. Then he grinned that grin."Did you bring _anything interesting?" _Angeal said, his voice taking on that tone that made Zack weak. He watched as his subordinates cheeks gained a hint of pink. He loved the puppy during such moments. Zack just nodded and didn't say anything. Things were getting better already. But that could wait just a bit longer.

The next item out of the pack was an enormous gold ballotin festooned with silk ribbon. Angeal knew what it was on sight- chocolate, by the scent of it, and probably cake. And there was a lovely silver card embossed with the usual pink rose initials from Genesis. There was only one more requirement, and that would soon be taken care of.

When Zack walked back into the room he was stark naked except for his collar. He carried a tray with the blazing chocolate raspberry birthday cake, and a pitcher of water iced with chunks from the glacial ice from outside. He set it on the table, but before he could finish singing the birthday song Angeal blew out the candle, and, with chuckling growl, pulled him down onto the bed.

The next extended interval involved Zack feeding the cake to Angeal, and then having to lick or suck it from certain parts of his anatomy. Zack knew all the right moves to arouse his lover, and soon had him groaning with lust. It was through these maneuvers that Angeal made a discovery. The consumption of chocolate created a mellowing affect that allowed him to feel mako sensations more keenly. This was not lost on Zack, who worked to please his lover all the more intensely.

By the time the two of them lay together again sticky, spent, and satiated, it was well after two o'clock and neither of the two wanted to think about getting up.

"We need to try and get some sleep." Angeal mused.

"Fine with me. That's what the day is for anyway." Zack joked.

"I meant the next couple of hours. You have to get up early in the morning if you want to catch fish. I figure it's about 3 a.m, that gives us maybe three hours until dawn. And getting the gear together properly usually takes an hour."

"I 'll have to heat some water, we're all sticky." Zack said. Then he caught sight of himself in the mirror above the bed. "How the hell did I manage to get icing in my hair?". He murmured as he grinned in the loving angels direction. But Angeal already had his eyes closed and was smiling in his sleep, perchance, to dream...

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Zack was beautiful kneeling in the firelight. The orange yellow of the flames reflected from his skin as he remained still with his eyes closed. Angeal felt his muscles tighten as he anticipated the taste of his golden flesh. Did Zack know about his visual divinity? He was prompted to remember the delicious sounds he made as he was brought to the edge of sensual overload. The time was now.

Angeal drew breath slowly, and cleared his mind. There would never be a more perfect moment than this. Zack lying with his head against his chest, shadows dancing on their skin from the flames. He knew the day he wanted most would probably never come, but he was determined to ask.

In his dreams he would have whisked Zack away to Costa Del Sol. There was a small cantina and hotel on the beach there that made the deadliest margaritas on the planet. He and Zack had discovered it on a rare leave and fallen in love with the place. It was also the first place that he had seen Zack dance, before Angeal had managed to learn to fake his way through some moves.

Everything about that time for Angeal blended together in memory. From the fiery peppers that graced the food to the first night they made love in the water- he could recall these things within seconds. At times he allowed his memories to almost overwhelm him- in private.

"Zack... if there's ever a time we're both out of this...I mean...Would you be mine?"

"I'm already that now."

"No, I...that's not what I meant exactly. Not that at all. What I meant to say is...Zackary Fair, will you marry me?" There. It was out.

There was a long pause, during which Angeal would swear that he stopped breathing, time stopped, and he waited for the secret Shinra bomb hidden underneath the cabin to explode and kill them both instantly, but nothing happened. His reverie was broken by the sound of Zack as he drew in a nervous breath. And then he was being kissed, possibly harder than he had ever been before in his entire life. He took it as a yes.

The End...For Now?


End file.
